


Finished Chapters

by Tide_Pod_Juul_03



Series: Baby Mine AU [2]
Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Bolin just wants someone to love him, Deleted Scene, Gen, big brother Mako with the metaphors, so figured why not both?, there isn't any graphic depictions but there is references to minor character death, wanted to write first nightmare and bby Bolin and Mako having a Srs Talk
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-25
Updated: 2021-01-25
Packaged: 2021-03-17 22:53:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,161
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28982181
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tide_Pod_Juul_03/pseuds/Tide_Pod_Juul_03
Summary: Somewhere inside him, Bolin knew this was a dream.
Relationships: Bolin & Mako (Avatar)
Series: Baby Mine AU [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2118333
Comments: 6
Kudos: 17





	Finished Chapters

**Author's Note:**

> First deleted scene! Baby's first nightmare plus So You've Gotta Explain Death To A Three Year Old.
> 
> If there's any prompts/scenarios you wanna see, just let me know! I already have a few in mind.

Somewhere inside him, Bolin knew this was a dream. The colours were too bright, and mommy and daddy moved like they were walking through slow, sticky honey. The sky overhead was pale purple and the ground shon with fresh rain as the three of them walked home from dinner.

Bolin beamed up at his parents, hand in hand with both of them as they walked. Even if it was a dream, Bolin decided, it was a nice dream. He hadn’t seen mommy or daddy for a few days and he had so much to tell them! He had met metalbenders and the chief of police and got to ride in an ambulance and he’d met  _ Mako _ . Mako, who was the stuff of legends in their house.

Mommy always got so sad when Mako came up, but they’d both told Bolin all about his older brother; how he was smart, and funny, and the way he and Bolin both wrinkled their noses when they were thinking intensely. Mako’s photos had dotted their little home, mostly when he was a child except for one taken a few months before Mako had gone away.

Bolin asked, once, where Mako was. His parents had gotten sad looks on their faces, and Bolin promised never to ask again.

Back to the dream.

Bolin knew this was the part where he asked if they could have mochi once they got home. His mommy made the best mochi in the  _ world _ , sweet and chewy and perfect after a long day. Mommy would laugh and make him promise to take a bath without complaining in return for dessert. Then daddy would point out that at least Bolin wasn’t a waterbender. And the three of them would laugh and mommy and daddy would swing Bolin between them and everything would be right in the world.

Something bad happened, though. Bolin knew something bad had to happen. It happened in every dream and it happened the last time he saw his parents. And so the words stuck in his throat, sticky and slow and hard to swallow.

“Mommy… we can’t go this way.” Bolin finally managed to cough up the words. “I don’t know, only good boys get dessert. And good boys don’t kick us a fuss at bath time.” Mommy replied with a wooden smile, lips stretched wide enough that it must hurt.

“No, mommy! Daddy, something’s gonna happen! We gotta go!” Bolin insisted, digging his heels into the concrete and trying to tug his hands free. His parents grips felt like metal wrapped around his hands, pulling him forward towards whatever bad thing was waiting.

“At least he isn’t a little waterbender. Makes bathtime a little easier.” Daddy joked, smiling just as painfully wide. “Besides, you’re already our good boy Bolin. We love you so much.”

“So much.” Mommy echoed hollowly. The two of them tugged sharply and Bolin yelped as he slipped, his parents dragging him ceaselessly behind them. “It hurts! Mommy, daddy stop!” Bolin wailed, scrabbling against the wet pavement as he fought to get back to his feet. Hi parents gripped tighter and swung him forward between the two of them. 

A man stepped out from between two houses.

Bolin could smell something like overcooked meat and a bitter, acrid smell that he instinctively knew was fear.

“Bolin!”

Bolin’s eyes flew open to see his big brother sitting over him with a worried expression. “You okay? You were kicking.” Mako asked. 

Bolin sniffed and, without warning, threw himself into Mako’s lap. “Mako, Mako!” He cried, burying his face in Mako’s shirt and bursting into tears. “I had a bad dream, mommy an’ daddy an’ I were going home and, and, and this bad man stopped us and-” Bolin hiccuped and clung tighter to Mako. “Mako, I want mommy and daddy.”

Above him, Mako sighed and pulled Bolin tightly to him. “I know, Bo. I’m sorry.” He whispered, pressing a kiss to Bolin’s sweat damp hair. “I miss them too.”

“There was a really bad smell. Like that time daddy burnt the duck he was making for dinner.” Bolin whispered against Mako’s shoulder. Mako’s hand spasmed for a moment before coming to rest on Bolin’s head. “Mako, where are mommy and daddy?”

Mako paused and took a deep breath, adjusting them so he was sitting against the headboard with Bolin in his lap. “Bolin… Have you ever gotten hurt?” Mako asked carefully.

Bolin nodded and held out his arm. “I was playing outside one time and I tripped and hurt my wrist.” He said. He’d had to wear a stretchy fabric bandage around his wrist for a few days until it healed, but he didn’t cry at all when the healer was checking his injury and she’d put a shiny star sticker on his shirt for being so brave.

“Well, mom and dad… They got hurt. Hurt really bad. And it isn’t the kind of hurt you can recover from.” Mako explained, one hand stroking Bolin’s hair. “Sometimes people get hurt too bad and they die. Do you know what dying means?”

Bolin frowned and shook his head. “Sounds scary.” Mako huffed out a laugh and nodded. “It can be. Dying is the opposite of living. Right now, you and I are living. We are breathing and,” Mako took Bolin’s hand, pressing tiny fingers against his pulse. “Our hearts are beating. We still think and feel and are still alive. Dead… Dead means no breathing, no heartbeat. No thinking, or feeling. It’s like the end of a book. No more chapters, forever.”

“So… mommy and daddy are finished books?” Bolin asked slowly. In a way, it made sense. Like how when daddy read to him, at some point the book had to finish. Daddy had to say ‘the end’ and close the book, even if Bolin wanted there to be more book to read.

“Sort of, I guess. Their books are finished. Ours are still going.” Mako explained and pressed a kiss to the top of Bolin’s head.

“When’s my book gonna end?” Bolin asked worriedly, chewing on the tip of his thumb.

Mako squeezed Bolin tightly, and Bolin thought Mako looked like mommy for a moment when she was sad. “Not for a long, long time, if I have anything to say about it.” Bolin yawned and rubbed his eyes, snuggling closer to Mako. “Ready to try sleeping again, Bo?” Mako asked, laying down and tucking the blankets around the both of them.

“Yeah. ‘S past my bedtime.” Bolin mumbled. “Mako? I hope your book doesn’t end for a long, long, long, long time.” Mako swallowed and pulled that same expression that made him look like mommy before turning the lamp back off with a flick of his wrist. “It won’t. Who’d look after you if I wasn’t here?” Mako teased.

“Mako? If you weren’t here, I think I’d be a lot sadder.” Bolin said softly. 

“I think I’d be a lot sadder too.” Mako replied.


End file.
